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Stockholm Library Sweden Design Contest Entry

Swedish building competition, Europe: Architecture Contest 2007

17 May 2008

Stockholm Library Design Contest

Asplund Architecture Competition
Feb 2007, over 1,100 entries

Entry by JDS Architects:

How does one address a site entangled in urbanity, nature while facing a cultural icon? Until now the observatory hill had only one façade towards the city. We suggest turning the library’s extension into a garden library, unifying the new facility with the street on one side and the observatory plateau on the other.

All Model Photos by Nikolaj Maller, from JDS Architects 2008

We do this by pulling the hill towards the street, in the process creating a large sloping roof-façade, accessible via ramps of different grades. These are created through a process of cutting, in turn, providing the whole building with an overview directed to the Asplund Library as well as good interior day lighting conditions.

Facing the street, the blanket is pulled up on one corner, creating a very urban, almost high-rise façade with a spectacular entrance that avoids blocking the view of the original Asplund library.

The west corner is pushed down towards the street, allowing a plaza between the two library buildings. The façade is dotted and activated with study rooms as interior balconies allowing privacy, but still providing generous space within the open library floors.